


Desperate Housewives

by UCryWolfe



Category: Desperate Housewives, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 18:42:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2743091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UCryWolfe/pseuds/UCryWolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane Foster, Jean Grey, Pepper Potts, and Natasha Romanova are four suburban housewives, each with their own issues. When their good friend Susan Storm unexpectedly commits suicide, the four ladies dive into the mystery of what drove their friend to commit such a desperate act, at the same time risking their own personal lives being revealed in the search for the secret Susan Storm left buried.</p>
<p>Maybe, just maybe, they should have left it buried.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It began with a death...

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter One depicts an act of suicide.
> 
> I know some people have triggers for this, so I tried to downplay it as much as possible, however I feel the need to warn in advance.
> 
> I'll state more later as they apply during each chapter.
> 
> Otherwise, I hope you enjoy!

_My name is Susan Storm._

_I live on Broadway Ave. Some would say I have the perfect life. I have two kids, a loving husband, a brother and a brother-in-law, a nice house in the suburbs just outside of New York and lastly, four of the best friends I could have ever asked for._

_Which is probably why they were all so very surprised that day._

_Everything had been perfect. The sun was shining, kids were out playing in the last week left of summer before school was supposed to start, and the mailman was delivering letters right on time as usual. I gave a friendly wave to my next door neighbor, confidante, and occasional poker buddy, Jane before shuffling through the mail, only to come across an unmarked letter with my name on it._

_That letter started set me down the path, the only path left to me._

_Someone knew my secret. A secret I had hidden well, too. Someone on Broadway Ave knew what I was hiding._

_There was only one available option to me._

_I walked back into the house, finished my rounds of cleaning, made sure there was plenty of food left for my family._

_Then after all that, I went into Reeds hidden cupboard, and pulled out the metallic instrument that would ensure my family's safety, if only for a time._

_A deep breath escaped between my lips as I pressed the gun to my head, right against my temple, and without a second thought I pulled the trigger._

_It was this act that brought so many friends and neighbors over, gathering when they heard the gunshot that claimed my life._

_\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_It set my friends on the dark path of trying to understand why I chose to pull the trigger._

_Why I chose to keep my secret buried._

 

_Because_

 

_In the end_

 

_Some secrets are better off buried._


	2. A recipe for disaster. (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The funeral reception for Susan takes place, where we're introduced to Susan's best friends and family. The ladies also discover a clue that suggests Susan was hiding a dark secret.

_The gunshot that claimed my life was heard by the entire neighborhood. My husband, kids, and brothers were all gone, either at school or their jobs. So it naturally made sense when my four friends opened to the door to my house to discover I had committed suicide._

_The next few days passed without incident, from funeral arrangements being organized by Pepper, to the reception, which was also organized by Pepper. Everything had been set up, and was lovely. People from all over the neighborhood showed up to offer my husband and family their condolences. It was also this day Reed admitted to the one thing that drove me to suicide in the first place._

Reed Richards stood dressed in a suit, sighing in the mirror as if this entire process was wasting his time when there was a knock on his door. Turning, he saw his brother, Ben, enter. "You ready, Slim?" Ben and Reed had been inseparable as brothers when they were growing up, and it carried into adulthood. Being the older brother, Ben knew that sometimes Reed had to be brought back to earth, and that, sometimes, the brown-haired scientist needed to be reminded that he, too, was human.

The widower looked back at his bald brother before nodding, "I..." Ben would just hold up a hand before stating, "Take your time. You just lost your wife."

The response given, "I think I left something back at the lab..." was what Ben actually expected.

Ben just narrowed his eyes, reminding Reed why his brother had been nicknamed 'The Thing' in high school. Reed had the decency to look ashamed before looking back to the mirror in front of him, murmuring, "I don't know if I can do this. She promised me we would be together till we were old and gray."

A surprised look formed on Bens face, something he had not been expecting from Reed: being reminded that Reed was human.

"Uhh.." was all that Ben managed to form at first before his brain caught up, "I don't know why she was driven to do what she did. Did the police not say anything?"

Reed shuffled uncomfortably before silently moving for his shared dresser with his now deceased wife. Hesitantly, he opened the top drawer before pulling out a letter, then turned to Ben before explaining, "The police discovered this letter near her corpse. It had been addressed to her, but there was no evidence on the letter itself that contained anything from the sender."

Slowly, he held out the letter before stating, "She was hiding something, Ben. Someone knew."

Ben walked forward, taking the letter before reading over it. Stupefied, he looked back to his brother, questioningly, before sighing, "Reed..."

Reed just shook his head before admitting, "Susan committed su- she knew something. I need to know who sent this, Ben. And I think, just maybe, that her friends can help." Reed took the letter back from Ben, then folded it and lay it on top of the dresser, sighing.

_Ah, yes. The letter._

_That letter was addressed to me the day I took my life._

_It's contents to me were a reminder that everything I held sacred was in jeopardy unless immediate action was taken._

_My husband then made the decision to confront my four friends, hoping that one of them held the knowledge of who sent the letter, and why. He would have to wait though, since everyone was just arriving to the reception._

_**--**_

_Meet Jane Foster._

"Reed, I'm so so sorry." Jane Foster held in her hand her one, and only, signature dish: macaroni. Reed stared hesitantly at the dish in her hands before waving both Jane and her daughter, Darcy, inside.

Greetings and condolences were given to Reed from both women before a pit-stop was made to the dinner table. Jane, knowing her cooking wasn't the best, stashed the dish at the back, and silently hoped beyond hope that the dish would disappear, never to be seen again. After all, she didn't want someone claiming to be poisoned at a funeral reception.

_Jane was the last of our circle to move to Broadway Avenue. She originally moved with her then husband, Captain Steve Rogers, and her daughter, Darcy Rogers. Darcy had been born, and Jane had been happy. That is, till she caught on to the Captain trying to raise someone else's flag._

_Now divorced, the blonde woman was doing her best to raise her daughter alone._

_Darcy, being the bright 12 year old that she is, could see that her mom was lonely. And when her mom bumped into a random stranger, who happened to be tall, blond, and handsome, a plan hatched itself in the recesses of her young mind._

"Oh, I apologize." said the stranger. Jane waved off the interaction nervously, and with a nervous laugh added in, "Don't worry about it!" Jane's blue eyes couldn't keep from wandering over the mans physique, mainly since even though he wore an unattractive brown coat there was no doubt that the blonde god before her was packed full of muscle. It felt like Jane had walked into(the side of) a barn. Made of muscles.

_Meet Theodore Odiinson._

 "Please, call me Thor." The smile Thor offered both Jane and Darcy felt like it could blind the entire room. And... probably did. To her credit, once Jane was done making an 'O' of surprise she'd smile back, which seemed to delight Thor to no end. Thor held out one massive hand for Jane, saying, "And who is this lovely creature?"

(Darcy swears later on in life that her mother had been silent for at least a minute. Jane will forever deny this accusation.)

_Theodore was a local plumber who hailed from Norway. Or at least, that's what a lot of the neighborhood assumed, though he has never actually spoken a word of the language._

Once Janes initial shock at being flirted with had passed, the blonde woman giggled(yes, _giggled_ ) before waving Darcy away to go do whatever it is that teenagers did at funerals. Now without Darcy to distract(embarrass) her Jane gave Thor her best winning smile before gushing, "Oh, you are a flatterer." Her cheeks were slowly fading from red to a tinged pink as Jane continued, "My name is Jane, and that was my daughter, Darcy."

Jane would flirt with Thor for a bit longer, answering questions and learn that he was new to the neighborhood. Excellent. She also recommended avoiding the macaroni, which Thor ate anyway, then spit out moments later.

**--**

_Meet Pepper Potts-Stark._

"Hello, Reed." Pepper Potts-Stark stood before Reed in proper business formal. Cut black-lace dress, standing prim and proper, as she greeted her dead friends husband. "Are you okay? I can't imagine what you're going through. If you need anything, please, let me know." Pepper gave a warm smile as Reed nodded before motioning in her two children in.

_Meet Peter Stark and Gwen Stark._

Peter sighed as he was ushered in before his sister, looking clean, but full of the angst that came with being fourteen. His sister, Gwen, appeared behind her brother, looking adorable in her matching attire, though thankfully not yet showing any signs of her brothers angst. Peter whined to his mother, "Do we have to be here? I want to go hang out with Wade!" The glare given from his mother rendered him silent, Gwen rolling her eyes before stating, "Peter, you should at least be thankful to be here. Mrs. Storm wasn't just mom's friend." The frown given to him by his sister made him droop his head before mumbling, "I don't like funerals."

Reed gave a warm smile before stepping back to allow the trio inside, "Thank you for coming, at least." Pepper ushered both her children forward before Reed asked, "Is Tony out in New York again?" as he started to close the door before finding it stopped halfway to closing.

"No, Tony's here in America's armpit with his wife and children like the good husband he is supposed to be pretending to be."

_Meet Anthony Stark._

_Real estate mogul, brilliant designer and engineer, husband to Pepper, father to both Peter and Gwen. And notorious skirt-chaser._

"Say Reed," Tony kicked the door closed before looking to his mourning friend, "What's say we blow this popsicle stand later and go find us a few hookers and blow?"

Tony's grin belayed that it was an intended joke, however... Pepper Potts heard every word. Guests later on would recall this specific moment, as when she turned around, her glare bore nothing but cold fury, and if it could have killed, Tony would have been a pile of ash. Reed stood silent, flabbergasted at the remark, but Pepper simply gripped Tony's arm and shoved him towards their children, stage-whispering, "That is not an appropriate thing to say!" Looking back to Reed, Pepper would adorn a warm smile before holding up her signature seven-layer casserole dish, "Reed, I apologize. Tony is not used to being away from New York and given how many funerals he's already attended I think it safe to say he just blocks all emotion while at them at this point."

Mr. Richards just nodded, closing the door before moving to take the casserole dish, which Pepper held back, "Reed, no! This is your time to mourn. I will look after the dishes. Please, go be with your family, and allow me to cover the dinner table?" Reed gave an appreciative smile before giving in to Pepper's request.

Pepper laid her dish out among the others already on the table, then set about lining up each dish according to food group, and after making sure the table looked neat and presentable for this day, smiled to herself. At least until Tony's shout of "Yahtzee! Reed has alcohol!" rang through the house. The smile disappeared, and the look on Pepper's face as she made a beeline to the kitchen where her husband was suggested that it was likely her husband would disappear too.

**--**

  _Meet Jean Grey._

 "Scott! Now is not the time to be on your cell phone!" Jean Grey-Summers stood in front of the Storm's house, sighing at her husband as he chatted on his cell phone to another of his colleagues, going on about reports. Or something. Jean hadn't been paying enough attention, but now, as they stood in front of their deceased friends house, the red-headed vixen was now getting annoyed. She was about to knock on the door when Scott burst into laughter at something his business partner said on the other end.

Now staring down Scott, who was oblivious, she snatched the phone out of her husbands hand, practically screeching into the phone, "Scott has a funeral reception to attend and will call you back later!" The phone was slammed shut, surprisingly not cracking it, as Scott stared at his wife, startled.

"Babe, that was an important call!" The redheaded husband frowned at his better half, holding his hand out for his phone when Jean shook her head before stuffing his phone in her purse, stating, "No! We are here to support our friend, -Reed-." putting emphasis on their friends name before continuing, "Now, at least pretend to be interested in being here!"

_And meet Jeans husband, Scott Summers._

_Elite businessman, he wants only the best of the best. And believe me, he pulled out -all- the stops in his pursuit of Jean Grey's hand in marriage._

Neither had noticed that the front door was open, having been opened just a few moments prior by Pepper, who glanced back and forth, as if at a loss at what to say. The oblivious couple continued to bicker for a few minutes, most of those in the living room hearing, and some seeing, the duo squabble before Pepper cut in by clearing her throat loudly.

Consecutively, both heads turned, each looking embarrassed about being watched before Jean spoke up, "Hiiii..." A blush that had formed on her face started to subside, and she'd hold up a bucket of chicken purchased from the store, smiling, "I thought this was easier since I can't cook?"

Pepper gave a surprised smile, then accepted the bucket of chicken before ushering in the redheaded couple. Scott gave Pepper an easy smile, but his eyes were focused, solely on his wife's rear end.

**--**

  _Meet Natasha Barton._

 "Clint, you -said- you were going to be here! I can't wrangle five kids by myself for Susan's reception!" Her husbands voice chirped over the phone while she walked, practically hauling five kids down the street in the direction of the Storm's house. Five kids, ages ranging from seven to two. Three boys, two girls. The odd thing about this assortment was that none of them looked anything like their mother. Which was easily explained by "We did -not- adopt these kids so you could abandon me whenever your job called you! So help me, Clint the next time you're here..."

Whatever response was said was soon cut off as the fiery red-headed woman slammed her phone shut. She didn't notice the Summers's entrance into the Storm's house, mostly since she spotted the oldest, Rob, running for the Storm's swimming pool in their backyard. A snap of her fingers summoned the remaining children to their adopted mother, at which point the stroller carting the youngest Barton was redirected to follow after the deserter.

_Meet the Barton's oldest son, Rob Barton._

"Rob! You're going to get in so much troubbblllleee!" crowed the next oldest, followed by giggles from both the girls.

_Meet Cyrus, Star, and Rayvn Barton._

Rob just jumped into the swimming pool, splashing water around before laughing hysterically, "Mom can't get me here!" To emphasize the point the jet-black haired boy would aim a splash at his three siblings as they stood nearby, said splash causing his sister, Star, to squeal, "That does look like much fun!" And, without any warning she too, would jump in.

_Meet Garfield Barton._

 Coos and laughter could be heard from the stroller as the youngest of the Barton clan watched with glee. Nearby guests watched, amusement written on their faces as Natasha had a stare-down with her oldest son and daughter in the pool. Rob splashed Star, breaking the standoff before Natasha took off her jacket, leaving on her black shirt, and dress since it was inappropriate to take those off in front of watching(and some perving) eyes. Then, without preamble, the redhead started wading into the pool, screams of surprise from both of the playing children soon turned into screams of terror as their mother mercilessly hunted them across the shallow end before finally cornering, and wrangling, both out of the pool.

A kind stranger rolled Garfield over to Natasha, who gave the woman a smile in return before marching each of her children through the backdoor, surprising Jane who was wiping a handsome strangers mouth with a napkin, right as Jane said, "I did tell you not to eat the macaroni..."

Both Jane and the stranger watched with amusement as Natasha walked by with the children of the Barton band, "Hey Nat. Everything okay?" Jane's eyes had focused on the two wet children, and Natasha's wet skirt, at which Natasha replied, "Peachy. Just need to find some towels." Magically, Johnny Storm appeared with said towels, giving the short redhead a winning smile, "Heard and saw some of the commotion outside. Towel?"

Mrs. Barton gave Johnny a rare, kind smile he never often got from her before she asked, "I'm sorry, Johnny." The blond merely waved off Natasha's apology, "Kids do those things. Don't worry about it! Really, you should of seen what Franklin did at his school last month. Susan was so-" Reality then hit Johnny Storm, as the weight of Natasha's words seemed to click in his mind.

"Oh..."

_Ah, yes. My brother. He was always flirtatious with the women, but one thing that seemed to draw them in was that he always wore his emotions on his sleeve. On this day, however, instead of being hit on, he had a mother who was able to give him comfort in the wake of his sister's death. One thing he had not had in a long, long time._

Natasha hugged Johnny, patting his back as the now sister-less Storm sighed. The moment was, however, cut short when a crash could be heard from the kitchen, followed by another crash coming from the direction of the entrée table. Natasha stepped back, patted Johnny on the head, before stating, "There's about to be a few more funerals." To his credit, Johnny would laugh as Natasha then hunted down each of her kids.

**--**

_My house had not seen this level of activity in some time. And in truth, it would be a while yet before it would see the same amount. Sadly, the next time it would not be good either._

_The opening act has started. My friends family, and close relatives have all gathered, my death bringing them together when truthfully I would have objected, had I known that instead of doing my family a favor, I was allowing the first piece of the puzzle to be found._

_The letter which my husband had kept secret from all but my brother-in-law, Ben, would soon be discovered._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Been a while, yeah?
> 
> I should probably have a good excuse for not having updated.
> 
> I don't. Hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> Updates will be sporadic (AKA whenever the muse decides to visit again).
> 
> Comments and constructive criticism are welcome.


End file.
